NCJ Number
16242
Date Published
1974
Length
125 pages
Annotation
THE POTENTIAL OF THE VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICER AS AN ALTERNATIVE REHABILITATION RESOURCE IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
A REVIVAL OF THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS AS PROBATION OFFICERS HAS RECENTLY EMERGED AS A PROPOSED SOLUTION TO THREE PROBLEMS WHICH ATTACK THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBATION AS A REHABILITATIVE AND PREVENTIVE TACTIC: (1) EXCESSIVE CASELOADS, (2) THE INHERENT DIFFICULTIES IN COUNSELING AN INVOLUNTARY CLIENT, AND (3) THE RELUCTANCE OF THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW REENTRY OF THE OFFENDER AS A 'MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING'. RESEARCH LEADING TO THIS REPORT INCLUDED EXAMINATION OF THE RELATED LITERATURE AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH INTO EXISTING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. INQUIRY INTO THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FROM WHICH TREATMENT PLANS MIGHT EVOLVE IN THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS RESULTED IN THE DISCOVERY OF BOTH DIVERSITY AND AMBIGUITY. ANALYSIS OF THE EMPIRICAL RESEARCH WITH EMPHASIS ON THE METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF THE EVALUATIVE STUDIES LED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT VOLUNTEERS CAN BE SAID TO FUNCTION AS EFFECTIVELY AS PROBATION OFFICERS, AND THAT THEY MAY CONSTITUTE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO PROFESSIONAL MANPOWER WHEN UTILIZED IN THE CONTEXT OF A COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT PLAN. POTENTIAL PROBLEM AREAS FOR THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ARE INDICATED, AND IT IS URGED THAT THE DIRECTORS OF SUCH PROGRAMS INNOVATE A TREATMENT RATIONALE WITH CLEARLY DEFINED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES BASED ON SOUND THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES. GIVEN THE SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION WHO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME TO VOLUNTEER ENDEAVORS AND THE IMPROBABILITY OF CHANGES IN THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THE SOCIETY, A PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF THE IMPACT OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE REDUCTION OF CRIMINALITY IS ADVANCED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)